What Happens in a Natural Disaster?

The cumulative damages of natural disasters can include the deaths of thousands of people---if not more---as well as billions of dollars in damage. Causes range from geologic to atmospheric; some are predictable, while others create total surprise. The consequences can be stark, so the importance lay in ensuring people have an understanding of the potential disasters that might occur in their region.

Earthquakes

• Brought about by movements in plates of the Earth's crust, earthquakes occur several hundred times a year with the more powerful ones---magnitude 8 or higher---occurring twice on the average. One of the most destructive and frightening forces of nature, earthquakes can cause tremendous damage to both man-made structures and natural physical formations. Collapsing structures cause deaths, injuries and monetary damage.

  Owing to differences in quality and quantity of structures---as well as levels of disaster preparedness---industrialized countries tend to suffer more financially while developing countries suffer more deaths and injuries. Earthquake-related secondary disasters--such as tsunamis, landslides and floods---often cause secondary issues that can be more devastating than the earthquake itself.

Floods

• Occurring far more frequently than earthquakes, floods constitute about a third of all natural disasters and more than half of related deaths. Typically caused by excessive rainfall, oceanic earthquakes (when flooding is due to tsunamis) and climate change, floods consist of waters rising above normal levels and covering what would otherwise be a dry area.

  Damage to property caused by floods differs according to the affected areas. Common damage in urban areas includes houses, public infrastructures and automobiles. Flooding in agricultural lands can cause the loss of crops and livestock, adding to decreased agricultural productivity.

Volcanic Eruptions

• Measured in "VEI" (volcanic explosivity index), scales of volcanic eruption devastation range from 0 to 8. The exact time and magnitude of a volcanic eruption is impossible to predict despite tell-tale signs of volcanic activity. After an explosion, anything and everything in the lava's path is quickly set afire and buried. Flooding can also occur when mudflows block existing waterways. Accumulated ash, rocks and other projectiles can cause structures to collapse. Gases in the air cause asphyxiation, severe asthmatic symptoms and minor to severe irritations to eyes, nose and skin.

  Damages caused by volcanic eruptions go far beyond the immediate surroundings. Ash from volcanic eruptions can even cause danger to air traffic. If the explosion is large enough, accumulated ash in the atmosphere can also cause a small drop in global temperature.

Winter Storms

• Lasting from a few hours to several days---and sometimes accompanied by sleet, icing, strong winds and freezing rain---the effects of a winter storm can range from a minor inconvenience to disastrous proportions. Heavy snow and ice accumulations can collapse homes and even knock down trees and power lines. Roads and bridges often become dangerously slippery or completely blocked off. Heavy snow can also cause motorists to be stranded, isolate people in their homes or virtually paralyze an entire city. Avalanches with up to a million tons of mass and speeds of near 200 miles per hour can result from heavy snow fall in as short a time span as several hours---assuming the region is mountainous. Exposure to extremely low temperatures accompanying winter storms can also cause frostbite and hypothermia for people unfortunate enough to not have an adequate heating source.